Kalahari podberry
Dialium englerianum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A small to large tree. It grows to 6-18 m tall. The crown is rounded with many branches. The trunk has rough grey furrowed bark. The leaves are compound and up to 15 cm long. The leaf is made up of several pairs of opposite leaflets and a terminal bud. These leaflets are pointed. They are 2.5-8 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide. The buds are small and green. The flowers are small and cream. The fruit don't look like legume pods. They are oval and 2.5 cm or more long with a dry pulp and outer velvety skin. They are brown when ripe. They are edible.

There are about 40 Dialium species. They grow in tropical SE Asia. They probably all have edible fruit. Also as Caesalpinaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on sand. It grows between 300-1,100 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of 450-600 mm. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo DR, East Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are soaked and eaten fresh or boiled with meal. They are also used for drinks, relishes and chutneys. The pods are also eaten raw. The young leaves are eaten raw. The seeds are eaten raw. Fresh seeds are eaten raw and dried seeds are kept for the rainy season then soaked, boiled and eaten.

The fruit are an important food of the Kalahari Bushmen.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit, pod, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Cha-a, Mbota, Mpgamane, Muhamani, Mulemba, Musala, Non simba, Omufimba, Nsamba nzeke, Tsimba, Umbota, Umbvee, Usimba

Synonyms

Dialium engleranum Henriq.; Dialium lacourtianum Vermoesen; Dialium simii Phillips;